


The Rose Thief

by Of_Lights_and_Shadows



Series: FrostIron Bingo [22]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Gen, Loki stayed at earth from time to time, Pre-Avengers (2012), Pre-Canon, Teen Tony Stark, and meets Tony when he's little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:54:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24133894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Of_Lights_and_Shadows/pseuds/Of_Lights_and_Shadows
Summary: Loki met Tony before, when Tony was little.
Relationships: Loki & Tony Stark
Series: FrostIron Bingo [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477370
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	The Rose Thief

**Author's Note:**

> Frostiron Bingo, O4 square: Past fic.  
> That moment you almost forgot what the trope was about.  
> Many thanks to Elly and artsmyspark for looking this over for my paranoid self <3

Loki was done. He was going to find whoever was taking the roses from his garden. Well, technically, it wasn’t exactly  _ his _ , but he was looking after it during this little time he got to spend on Midgard. It’s been happening for a week now. He’d just have to wait for the mystery thief to appear. And there he is, carefully snapping one white rose that’s protruding through the steel fence. It’s a young boy, and Loki makes sure to take careful steps as he follows him.

They end up in the local cemetery. That moment, he feels glad he didn’t confront him while in the act of taking the rose. Instead, he follows, until the boy stands in front of a grave.

“Hey Jarvis.” he begins. “I know that, if you were here, you’d scold me for taking another rose from someone’s garden without asking. But it felt bad coming empty handed, you know? And you know how father is. I had to sneak out again. I think I’m getting better at it, too! But it doesn’t really matter, because it’ll be awhile until I can come visit again.”

“He must have been important to you.” Loki comments, as he leaves his hiding spot.

“He raised me.” the boy mutters, as he turns around. “Did you know him too?” he asks, pure and innocent like the cut rose.

He shakes his head. “I was following a rose thief.” At that the boy’s expression changes to one of horror.

“Don’t hurt me.” he pleads. “I don’t want to get in trouble. I can make up for it.”

“Hey, I’m not going to harm you. I was just curious, that’s all. Why don't we introduce ourselves? I’m Loki.”

“I’m Tony.” the boy replies hesitantly.

“Would you like to tell me about your friend, Tony? He must have been very important to you if a smart-looking boy like you steals flowers for his sake.”

Tony seems to lighten up immediately at the praise and Loki can see a kindred spirit in him, a brilliant mind shunned by its surroundings. Tony rambles about how nice this Jarvis person was to him, how he helped him with his life. He might have not been Tony’s father by blood, but he definitely sounded like he was treating him like his own child, with all the love and care one could shower their child. It made sense that Tony would feel grief for his death.

“I’ll promise to leave a rose for him while you’re gone.” Loki finds himself promising, if anything, so he could put Tony’s mind at ease that his theft wasn’t taken the wrong way and was actually forgiven.

“Really? You’d do that for me?” Tony asks, surprised, and somewhat suspicious.  _ Ah _ , he thinks,  _ he must be expecting that I’d want something in return. How to persuade him that I don’t? _

“Yes, don’t worry about it.” he tries to assure him. “Jarvis sounds like he was an amazing person that shouldn’t be forgotten. So, I’ll leave him a rose in your place, whenever I can.”

Tony looks genuinely confused. “Why are you doing this?” 

“Has no one ever done something for you simply because they wanted to and not because they expected something from you?” When Tony doesn’t reply, Loki takes a deep breath and continues. “Same here. So, why not turn around what others have done for me? You, at least, are deserving for it.”

“Thank you.” Tony whispers. “I’ll pay you back one day for it.” he promises. “Not because you want something, but because I want to do it.” He stops then, seemingly being deep in thought. “I’ll have to go now. Thanks, Loki. After Jarvis, you’re the nicest someone’s ever been to me. I won’t forget it. I hope we’ll meet again.”

Loki nods and waves him goodbye, hoping as well that he’ll get to meet this kind boy.

  
  


(If only either of them had any idea what fate had in store for them both.)

  
  



End file.
